tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-85418062016-05-30T08:18:24.960-07:00The Gospel Union<a href="http://gospelunion.com">GOSPELUNION.COM</a> - <a href="http://groups.yahoo.com/group/thegospelunion/join">Subscribe</a><br><br><br>
Every kingdom divided against itself will be ruined...<a href="http://biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%2012:24-26;&version=31;">Matthew 20:24-26</a><br>Endeavoring to keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace. - <a href="http://biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ephesians%204:1-3;&version=50;">Ephesians 4:1-3</a>Kevin Harperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05696667474412810222noreply@blogger.comBlogger112125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8541806.post-1152410252676304542006-07-08T18:44:00.000-07:002006-07-15T20:14:42.190-07:00The flaw of silenceAwhile back, I began to suspect that there was a flaw in the theory, sometimes called the Law of Silence, that the Bible's silence on a subject is always prohibitive. I've found cases where it indeed appears to be, but also cases where it appears not to be.I'm convinced that figuring out which is which is largely a matter of personal growth. If I adopt children into my home (as I have!), they areKevin Harperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05696667474412810222noreply@blogger.com33tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8541806.post-1144079441277471822006-04-03T07:46:00.000-07:002006-04-06T11:27:38.720-07:00Only from intellectualsThere are some things so ridiculous--and in fact, so evil--that only intellectuals could believe them. Like doomsday University of Texas professor Eric Pianka's intentionally shocking idea that a 90% reduction in the human population is not merely an eventuality (as headlines spin it), but a solution to the "problem" of an overcrowded planet.Actually, the real problem, as he states it, is Kevin Harperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05696667474412810222noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8541806.post-1143339042777448012006-03-25T18:07:00.000-08:002006-03-25T20:26:52.190-08:00The last shall be lastAfter years of trying to train my kids not to fight over being first in line at the dessert table, we recently encountered an interesting twist. They were fighting over being last.That's right, instead of arguing about who was going to be first, they began arguing over the right to be last in line. And they apparently thought this would get them big kudos from Mom and Dad.This new phase was only Kevin Harperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05696667474412810222noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8541806.post-1143227005612757592006-03-24T10:53:00.000-08:002006-03-24T11:03:25.706-08:00Dealing with one anotherI don't know who compiled these "One Anothers," but they illustrate how important our relationships are with people. All of the "book knowledge" in the world can't replace the value of our one-on-one relationships with our brothers and sisters in Christ.Knowing how we ought to behave is quite different from actually doing it.be at peace with one another (Mark 9:50) wash one another's feet (John Kevin Harperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05696667474412810222noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8541806.post-1141574173160465282006-03-05T07:47:00.000-08:002006-03-05T07:56:16.140-08:00Thoughts on angerI originally put these scriptures together to have a little chat with two of my kids who have been having a little temper problem lately. Then I realized they would make good reading for a discussion that our group does frequently involving all the kids. Then I realized they would be great for us adults as well. And finally, I realized they'd be great for the blog.So enjoy, and I hope these Kevin Harperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05696667474412810222noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8541806.post-1137888473974140122006-01-21T16:06:00.000-08:002006-01-27T21:13:09.813-08:00Silence is DivineSpeak where the Bible speaks, and be silent where it’s silent. This has long been my motto, but I have not always lived up to it. Like many reformation denominations, which with one mouth subscribe to the Nicene Creed, and with another mouth sing a different tune, I too have given lip service to my motto without being true to its ideals.The motto, I believe, is a good one. If the Bible speaks on Kevin Harperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05696667474412810222noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8541806.post-1137797413150071222006-01-20T14:38:00.000-08:002006-01-20T14:50:28.286-08:00One of these daysI just thought I'd post the words of a song that really resonated with me recently. I've done a search on the Internet and can't find the songwriter's name, so if anyone knows, please leave a comment on this page. I heard a beautiful rendition of it done by a group called Smalltown Poets, and spent some time on the computer arranging it for four-part harmony to sing in group settings. But I'm Kevin Harperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05696667474412810222noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8541806.post-1136311434662545082006-01-03T10:00:00.000-08:002006-01-03T18:11:08.440-08:00My pride colored glassesI’ve been thinking a lot lately about the blinding nature of pride. It is so easy to see it in someone else, but we Christians must be honest that it is amazingly difficult to see it in ourselves. The moment we think we’ve reached maximum humility is the exact moment we’ve topped the charts in pride. After all, a truly humble person believes, or at leasts suspects, that he is actually quite proudKevin Harperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05696667474412810222noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8541806.post-1134942154509827342005-12-18T13:38:00.000-08:002005-12-19T20:41:35.013-08:00Confessions of a noun-ChristianAs any adult can verify from personal experience, words change meanings over time as their contemporary usage changes. As fewer and fewer people use the word “skater“ to describe someone who roller skates (as opposed to rollerblading or skateboarding), so fewer and fewer people use the word “Christian” to simply describe someone who is Christlike. In fact, most of us probably have never Kevin Harperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05696667474412810222noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8541806.post-1134745290657348172005-12-16T06:46:00.000-08:002005-12-16T17:53:10.990-08:00New sheet music available for downloadMy lovely wife sat down at the computer the other day with a tune in her head and wrote a beautiful little song from Psalms 14 and 15. I downloaded Finale (notation software) for the Mac and spent a couple days learning it and working out the four-part harmony. Diane handled all of the timing, melody, and alto harmonization.If anyone is interested in giving it a shot for your congregational Kevin Harperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05696667474412810222noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8541806.post-1131737441031621672005-11-11T11:29:00.000-08:002005-12-16T08:38:31.140-08:00Joining the partyHumans, with few exceptions, are social creatures. Since God was the author of our genetic code, which predisposes us to social interaction, it is no accident that the Author of our Salvation designed the Christian faith to resonate with the basic human desire to engage with other human beings.Unfortunately, though, in almost any social setting it is human nature for cliques to form. Similar Kevin Harperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05696667474412810222noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8541806.post-1130354955930255602005-10-26T12:26:00.000-07:002005-12-16T08:38:49.613-08:00The non-judgmental ChristianNever before in history has the absence of judgment been glorified as a virtue—the virtue of non-judgmentalism. So says Thomas Sowell, a man I admire for his economic and political philosophy. I must confess, though, while it might make a punchy bumper sticker cliché, it’s rather lacking in judgment when it come to spiritual matters.You see, Christians have been confusing the different Kevin Harperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05696667474412810222noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8541806.post-1129446514360886062005-10-16T00:02:00.000-07:002005-12-16T08:39:52.676-08:00The Christian Yom KippurI stumbled upon an interesting newspaper article about the Jewish holiday Yom Kippur this week. I was surprised to find that there are still some traditions in modern Judaism that offer a bird as a sacrifice for their sins—a chicken, to be exact. I was under the impression that all animal sacrifices had ceased since the destruction of the temple in 70 A.D., but apparently not.Of course, the Kevin Harperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05696667474412810222noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8541806.post-1129338054846118822005-10-14T17:19:00.000-07:002005-12-16T08:40:07.436-08:00George Barna researchFor those not familiar with him, George Barna is considered the top pollster in the "big business" of the church growth movement. He has had his finger on the pulse of trends and demographic shifts among church-goers for years, and his research has been used by mega-church "entrepeneurs" to grow their enterprises through more effective marketing and communication than has traditionally been used Kevin Harperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05696667474412810222noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8541806.post-1125600310283805912005-09-01T11:41:00.000-07:002005-12-16T08:40:23.750-08:00Blessed are the peacemakers“Blessed are the peacemakers,” Jesus said. But do we Christians really take that to heart as a call to action, or is it just an abstract beatitude that we have our kids memorize?I never thought I’d identify in the slightest with the “peace movement.” When it comes to politics, I’m a law and order kind of guy who sees the need for peace through strength and for good to confront evil in the world. Kevin Harperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05696667474412810222noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8541806.post-1123701322513175962005-08-10T12:13:00.000-07:002005-12-16T08:40:44.880-08:00Non-denominationalismI have, for all of my Christian life, considered myself non-denominational--maybe even un-denominational or anti-denominational. I still do, actually. I never believed (and I still don’t) that Jesus meant for his disciples to be divided up into this or that faction or “flavor” of Christianity.What has evolved is my understanding of the word “denominationalism.” Contrary to popular usage in some Kevin Harperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05696667474412810222noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8541806.post-1122789457802496002005-07-30T22:53:00.000-07:002005-12-16T08:41:21.026-08:00Forgiveness is divineWhenever I feel I’ve been wronged or somehow offended, I try to remember to ask myself how it compares to the wrongs inflicted on Jesus Christ. If we are to be truly Christlike, we have to ask this question, because it puts forgiveness in a whole new perspective.Has someone hurt my feelings? How much more were the feelings of the Son of God trampled when His own creation rose up against Him and Kevin Harperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05696667474412810222noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8541806.post-1120781300921517562005-07-07T16:46:00.000-07:002005-07-07T17:08:20.946-07:00Settling into IdahoPardon my absence from blogging while we finish settling into our new house in Idaho! After arriving at the new house, we promptly packed up the kids again to visit some Christian friends in Oregon over the July 4th weekend. We really are beginning to love the freedom of road trips and seeing God's beautiful country. The kids travel remarkably well and are loving it as well. We are also very Kevin Harperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05696667474412810222noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8541806.post-1118338626561466632005-06-09T10:02:00.000-07:002005-12-16T07:50:11.466-08:00The command to love - a Scripture studyThese verses have been very meaningful in my studies. I thought others might benefit from them in this form with as few editorial remarks as possible.Studying the Scriptures brings eternal life because they tell us about Jesus Christ: John 5:39-42 - You diligently study the Scriptures because you think that by them you possess eternal life. These are the Scriptures that testify about me, yet you Kevin Harperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05696667474412810222noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8541806.post-1117381632352475452005-05-29T08:45:00.000-07:002005-12-16T07:50:43.890-08:00Squandering freedomFreedom is one of the blessings we most take for granted in America. Our forefathers and many servicemen have died for it—for us. By not appreciating their sacrifice and doing something valuable with that freedom, we do the unthinkable. We squander it.In that sense, freedom for us can be a little like old money. It’s been inherited, not earned or sacrificed for, and there is always something lessKevin Harperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05696667474412810222noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8541806.post-1117131741371506092005-05-26T11:17:00.000-07:002006-05-25T09:31:55.843-07:00Too good to be trueAre you skeptical of those who talk about Christian liberty? To many of us, freedom in Christ seems too good to be true. It just doesn't seem possible that the same God who struck down Uzzah, Nadab, and Abihu for breaking rules and regulations under the Old Law could shake heaven and earth with a new covenant not involving such outward rules and regulations. After all, the God of the Bible is theKevin Harperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05696667474412810222noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8541806.post-1116383223810048262005-05-17T19:25:00.000-07:002005-12-16T08:16:05.256-08:00Denominational echo chambersSome media elites have trouble relating to middle America. The only people they know come from a humanist, left-leaning worldview. They wine and dine only with people in that crowd, they seek to curry favor with them for career and social advancement, and they bestow awards only to them. To these people, the heartland of America is an enigma, because frankly, they know nothing about the heartlandKevin Harperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05696667474412810222noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8541806.post-1116317630818358952005-05-17T01:05:00.000-07:002005-12-16T08:15:39.586-08:00Being a better spouseHave you ever noticed the abundance of pop psychology books and self-help tomes on marriage that all seem to focus on getting what you want from marriage rather than supplying what your spouse wants and needs? Does it never occur to these people that the human soul is most satisfied when it is serving others, not manipulating them for its own purpose? But I guess a self-centric view of marriage Kevin Harperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05696667474412810222noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8541806.post-1116309061183596552005-05-16T22:42:00.000-07:002005-05-17T01:16:37.586-07:00Moving, moving, moving...I have to offer my apologies for being offline for several weeks. I've had a lot of thoughts incubating in the back of my mind while trying to manage the relocation of my family from Orange County, California to South Idaho. (Shhhh, don't tell my neighbors there are more Californians moving in.)Now that both escrows seem to be lined up properly, I should be able to get more writing time in. Kevin Harperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05696667474412810222noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8541806.post-1114188548306083572005-04-22T09:41:00.000-07:002005-12-16T08:14:15.190-08:00Sitting on the fenceAs a dyed-in-the-wool, red-blooded conservative, I have always valued decisiveness and conviction. When I vote for a politician, I want a politician in office who agrees with my policy, holds most of my opinions, and will do in office what I elected him to do. After all, I figure, I hired him, so I have a right to hold him to a certain standard--mine. If he doesn't meet it, then maybe I won't be Kevin Harperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05696667474412810222noreply@blogger.com0